The Barton Family Blog

We haven't had too many days we could categorize as "summer" quite yet. In my mind summer begins the first of June. I know it doesn't really.... it just does in my mind. So I usually spend 3/4 of June being really irritated with the weather, the rain, the cold, and the unpredictability of it all. I'm sure those of you out there can relate to that! This week Monday was toasty and beautiful. It teased us of course, got our hopes up... and Tuesday it rained. My kids keep begging me to head outside to our pool again... but we're grateful for that one fun day!

Here we are once again at Farmer's Market. This time w/ Kaysea and Michael (Jason & Naomi got to watch them last weekend!!!) which made it all the more sweet! Ooooo I love these sweet babies. Babies... ya. Michael the walking baby. How did he get so big?? wahhh... I miss them! My beautiful Shy & Uncle Jason. This girl LOVES to be packed. Put her on your hip and she's thrilled (: Maybe it's because I never pack my kids around. Between my back hurting before pregnancy, and this large belly now... I just have always made my kids walk. How to spoil Shy? Just carry her. She's in heaven (: Uncle J did a pretty good job this day (: Not totally thrilled w/ this pregnancy pix -but since I have so few I thought I'd include it. About 36 1/2 weeks.

We've been enjoying Farmer's Market each Saturday morning - a little family outing before Johnny heads off to work. This particular Saturday, the girls were semi-coordinating in their Summer Strawberry & Watermelon outfits. This first pix of Hollie kills me. It's just so darling and the look on her face is simply her chewing a pretzel and glancing up at me as I snapped the pix. Too cute! Natalee will now wear this scarf on her head, after many attempts on my part to get her to put it on and keep it on. The last time I put it on her, Kyah gushed and gushed about how cute Natalee looked in it.... and totally won her over! Thanks Kyah (: We appreciate your enthusiasm for this cute little scarf! My two sweet little 4-year-olds. Looking so big these day! a shot from the back Not the cutest faces in the world, but I had to be sure to capture their little outfit! Sampling the wares: These scrumptious pretzels came highly recommended by one of Johnny's co-workers. YUM. I do...

Bad. I haven't taken ANY pregnancy pictures since Naomi's little photo shoot way back when. Yikes. I am now 37 weeks, 1 day pregnant. This baby will be here FOR SURE in less than two weeks as I have a c-section scheduled July 6th if the baby hasn't decided to make it's appearance by then. Yesterday we had a slight scare that theoretically could have meant they'd take the baby immediately. It ended up being unfounded and here I am today, still pregnant... HOWEVER... I was super sad sitting in the radiology waiting room thinking that I had NO other pix of me this entire pregnancy. I actually made my mom snap one of my on my phone (which looked TERRIBLE!) just so that I'd have one last pix. So here we are today. 37 weeks, 1 day... Thanks Naomi for the photo editing! (: love you ditder!

Let's start with Hollie... She came in the room with a rubber band and told Johnny she wanted to put his hair in a pony tail. After a few futile attempts, she ran out and grabbed a comb. The least she could do was comb his hair, if not put it in a pony tail! (: Then there's Shy... She's always been the most gentle with doing our hair. She actually does a pretty good job considering her age... This evening she went into the bathroom and did her own hair. Pig tails!! pretty cute... till you saw the back.... (: but just the same she is getting really really good at doing hair!! I really do wonder if a hair-stylist might be her future profession!

Stole this photo from Naomi! (:

I know I know... as I've been catching up on posts, I've neglected our adoption party... Here's a sneak peek. It this not THE CUTEST cake you have ever seen?!??! The people at Safeway said it was the cutest one they've ever made! awwww! The rest of the photos are on Naomi and/or Mackenzie's camera and I'm waiting for them to upload them, edit them, make them picture perfect, and then send them to me so that I don't have to do any of the work! And they're both totally slacking!!!!! Can you believe it? (: More to come.... some day... I'm sure. (:

Happy Birthday sweet sister of mine!!! WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!

YOU'RE WRONG!! Mine wins! (: Look at this little love! Foot and hand up by the face. I am sooooo in love! Johnny and I went to Springfield today for another level 2 ultrasound. There have been some concerns about the baby not growing properly (@ 22 weeks measuring in the 9 th percentile and at 32 weeks measuring in the 5 th percentile) So today we had another in-depth ultrasound measuring our sweet sweet baby. The doctor explained to us that there are many ways to measure the baby - many various formulas used by computers to determine weight, percentile etc. Today baby was measuring 18 percentile. It's not likely that the baby increased that 13% difference in the 3 weeks since our 32 week ultrasound - but more than likely just a different formula for computing the baby's overall size. He showed us how by switching methods right there on the screen it could change the baby's percentile +/- almost 10%. The important thing though, is that HE is an expert in this field...

Memorial Day we made a point to do something with friends. Johnny was working and the weather wasn't quite sure what to do - but we made the most of it! In the process we discovered a GREAT park that I had no idea even existed ! Hidden away in Adair Village, a little town that is an extension of Corvallis - this park is FABULOUS. It def. competes with Avery Park in size and just how nice it is overall. It offers Frisbee Golf, a large playground and a smaller toddler-sized playground, a volleyball sand pit, a covered bbq area and tons of picnic tables. I'm sure there's more I'm forgetting. I met up with my friend Cassie and a couple extra kids she managed to drag along and her 6 kiddos. We look like a crazy bunch when we start trying to round up our kids when it's time to go! I may or may not be known to call out extra kid names when we're in McDonalds just to make us look a tad bit crazier (: In this pix we're even missing one: and there she is... swee...

snapped a few shots at Farmer's Market on Saturday. I know I'm biased but my girls are beautiful! *outfits compliments of Gramps & Granny Brock They sent Hollie birthday money and all the girls an adoption gift card! So fun to go shop for them. Thanks Gramps & Granny!

I've been meaning to get these pictures on here for quite a while. It's so very nice what little changes can do to sweeten a room. Maga has been busy at work creating little master-pieces that thrill me to no end. First up this valance: Which I finally got hung tonight w/ the help of my sister (Thanks Naomi!) Ignore the 1/2 blackout curtain (: I'm thinking some bright red colored black-out curtains would add the perfect finishing touches to this window! I'm going to have to investigate if there is such a thing! If you notice Raggedy Anne - she shares a pattern with the valance! Natalee (my little detail-oriented-girl) noticed right away that it was the same fabric! Along w/ the valance comes a matching quilt & pillow case (terrible picture i know! I thought i was going to die of heat stroke if I didn't snap the picture and get out of the bedroom!) ooooo I love the colors & the print and the old vintagey Dick & Jane blocks! Maga, You are amazing!! And l...

(photos & editing courtesy of Mackenzie Rice. THANKS Kenz! We love you. I am so glad we could share this day with you!) May 23 arrived with much anticipation. The day had been birthed in our hearts sometime long before Dec 2, 2009 when Johnny uttered those 4 words that changed our lives . Somewhere between July 2009 when I picked the girls up at Salem DHS... and May 2011, 2 little girls stole our hearts and made us parents to not 1, but 3 beautiful girls. We've been Shyanne and Hollie's parents for almost 2 years - but now it's recognized by the law. May 23 was kinda anticlimactic in that sense. We've been Mom and Dad for a long time now... May 23, 2011 just made all that legal. But it was sweet. Sweet to have those pieces of paper signed by a judge. Sweet to know that DHS no longer has a say in what we can and can't do. Sweet to know that these babies our ours forever. Sweet to feel the long journey closing. coming to an end. and yet starting a new beginning...